Our tv is connrected to DirecTv - all was fine until we had

Customer Question

Our tv is connrected to DirecTv - all was fine until we had to use the circuit breakers in tqo rooms to do some work. When we powered up the romms the DirecTv boxes came on but we can't power up the tvs, one of which is a Hitachi. The numbers on our Hitachi are 51F710A and V51005818. Is there anything we can do? We already tried putting the power chord in two different outlets and directly into the wall outlet. We just get a black screen and no power light. We are using the remote because we can't find any manual switch.JA: Can you guesstimate how old your Hitachi is? And just to clarify, what's the exact model?Customer: It's old - maybe ten years or so. The numbers I gave you are the numbers from the side of the unit - can't find anything on the back.JA: Does the TV menu work? Do you have the same problem on all sources/inputs?Customer: The TV power isn't on so we can't get to the menu.JA: How long has this been an issue? What happened right before this popped up?Customer: It just became a problem when we reinstated the power to the room. Before that it was working fine - if it didn't power up when we pressed the Direct TV remote, we used the Hitachi remote and it powered up fine.JA: Anything else you want the TV expert to know before I connect you?Customer: That's the whole problem as I see it now.

Unfortunately, the issues you are experiencing are symptomatic of an internal hardware defect, often a faulty power supply or main/control board, though there are many possible failure points. This issue could be a manufacturing defect, but is also often caused by a power event (shock/surge, prolonged over/under voltage condition, etc). That would be consistent with damage that may have happened when tripping the breaker.

This could also be the result of age related wear and tear; as a 2005 model tv, that type of failure wouldn’t be surprising. This tv is significantly past its service life, and this type of technology is long obsolete.

There is one step you can take here, both as a possible fix, as well as a diagnostic evaluation:1) Unplug the power cord from the outlet

2) Wait at least 1 hour (60+ Minutes)

3) Press and hold the power button (on the set, not the remote) for 60 seconds4) Keep holding power button while plugging back in, and for another 60 seconds after. When plugging back in, go directly to the wall outlet, bypassing any power strips or surge protectors.

If this reset process does not work, it would unfortunately confirm an internal hardware failure.

This is something that would require repairs to correct; if you're thinking about a do it yourself repair, you'll need to be comfortable and skilled with electronics repairs, which could include dismantling the set (removing the back panel of the tv), diagnostics testing with a multimeter, changing out boards as needed, and possibly desoldering/removing and soldering/replacing individual components.

If you’re considering repair at a local shop, you’ll find a typical repair to be around $300-500 for diagnostics, parts, and labor.

For a tv of this size/age however, replacement will make more sense. You can get a brand new LED tv with a fresh warranty in the $400 range.

Depending how you’d like to proceed here, I can help with finding parts, finding a repair shop, or recommending replacement options. Just let me know.